Wednesday, June 13, 2012

’Cesca opens this week

Now That's Italian

’Cesca, a seasonal southern Italian restaurant with local ingredients, is set to open on Thurs. June 14.

We got a sneak peek last night at a preview party. Owner Anthony Mazzola has spent the last few months transforming the old Buccaneer space at 5 Faber St.

Cozy bar area

The result is an intimate series of rooms with moody lighting and golden accents. It's pretty swanky, with an old school men's club kind of feel.

Chef Jason Colon made the rounds and told us he's ready to go. His menu is heavy on seafood, with a whole section for crudo. You can get big eye tuna, yellowtail, amberjack, snapper, prime beef, or scallop for $3.50 per piece, or you can do a flight for $20. Other specialties include spicy parmigiano and prosciutto fritters, day boat scallops with wild mushrooms, pancetta, and Sicilian oregano butter, in addition to the restaurant’s traditional Sunday Sauce. We got some small nibbles at the party, but it wasn't really enough to get a feel for the food quite yet. I'm going to need to get back over there real soon and dig into a full meal.

Chef Jason Colon

Mazzola, a part-time Seabrook resident, also owns ’Cesca and Accademia de Vino in NYC and Big Bubba’s BBQ in Connecticut.